Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc) Act 2004

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will ascertain and disclose to Parliament the number of children who have been taken into local authority care because their parents were destitute, since the coming into effect of Section 9 of the Asylum and Immigration Act 2004.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: None. This is a reflection of the care taken to develop processes which take account of all the circumstances of the families concerned.

Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002: Section 9

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they intend to bring Section 9 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 into force.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Section 9 came into effect on 1 December 2004. We are running a trial in three areas—central/east London, Leeds/Bradford and Manchester. Section 9 will be rolled out further after a thorough evaluation of the trial has been carried out.

Service Personnel: Voting Arrangements

Lord Garden: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What special postal arrangements were made to ensure that service personnel in Afghanistan and Iraq could receive their ballot forms and return them in time for the elections on 5 May.

Lord Drayson: The British Forces Post Office issued an instruction to all forces post offices worldwide on the handling of postal votes on 12 April, and provided a sample of the distinct envelope markings for recognition purposes. Mail was dispatched and returned to Iraq and Afghanistan using the established air-bridge.
	Advice was also provided to service personnel that they may consider it best to apply for a proxy vote if they were in any doubt that their postal vote could be returned to the UK in time.

Reservists: Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

Lord Garden: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What arrangements the Ministry of Defence has made for long term monitoring and treatment of post-traumatic stress cases among reservists.

Lord Drayson: We recognise post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a serious and disabling condition, but one which can be treated.
	A post-deployment briefing pack is given to all personnel as they leave theatre, which includes leaflets and a presentation covering PTSD reactions. Reservists are also given details of service charities such as Combat Stress, the Soldiers', Sailors' and Airmens' Families Association (SSAFA) and the Royal British Legion.
	As part of routine demobilisation, reservists receive medical screening and are able to discuss any healthcare concerns, including mental health issues, with a medical officer.
	An individual's TA unit will organise a recuperation day about six to 10 weeks after demobilisation. This involves a presentation on "Stress: Definitions, Signs, Symptoms and Treatments" and appropriate points of contact for help. The recuperation day also assists the unit in identifying any individuals who may be in need of help.
	Veterans of the 1990–91 Gulf conflict or of operations in the Gulf since 2003 can also be referred by their GP or Service Medical Officer to the Gulf Veterans' Medical Assessment Programme (GVMAP). The GVMAP can refer patients, where appropriate, to a country-wide network of psychiatric assessment centres with staff with specialist knowledge of the psychological injury of conflict and PTSD.
	Once reservists are demobilised, with the exception of the recuperation day, the work of the GVMAP and any general welfare monitoring by their chain of command when the unit goes on exercise, responsibility for all aspects of their healthcare passes to the NHS.
	Between January 2003 and December 2004, 824 personnel (regular and reservist) who had returned from Iraq—or around 1 per cent of total service personnel deployed over the period—were assessed as suffering from a psychiatric disorder. Of those, 93—or around 0.1 per cent of total service personnel deployed over the period—were assessed as fulfilling the diagnosis criteria for PTSD.

Joint Combat Aircraft

Lord Garden: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are the current planned dates for introduction into service of (a) the Royal Air Force variant; and (b) the aircraft carrier variant of the F35/Joint Combat Aircraft.

Lord Drayson: The Ministry of Defence currently only has plans to procure the "start take off vertical land" (STOVL) variant of the joint strike fighter to satisfy the joint combat aircraft requirement. A firm decision on the in-service date (ISD) does not have to be made before the UK purchases significant numbers of aircraft. Planning assumptions are based on an in-service date for the joint combat aircraft of December 2014.

NATO: Force Capability

Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Which member states of NATO and the Partnership for Peace have complied fully with the requirement to provide NATO with data about capabilities available for NATO force generation.

Lord Drayson: All NATO member states provided data about capabilities available for NATO force generation through the defence planning questionnaire 2004. The exception to this is France, which has not taken part in the NATO force planning process since its withdrawal from the military command structure in 1966.
	Similarly, nations participating in Partnership for Peace (PfP) provide information on capabilities for joint training, exercises and operations with NATO forces through the PfP planning and review process. This is a voluntary process, and Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan have declined to do so; Belarus has provided limited information.

NATO: Force Capability

Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the United Kingdom has complied fully with the requirement to provide NATO with data about the capabilities for NATO force generation.

Lord Drayson: The UK has fully complied with the requirement to provide data about capabilities available for NATO force generation through the defence planning questionnaire process, and has provided further information to NATO as requested.

Armed Forces Pension and Compensation Schemes

Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether their promised review and reform of public sector pensions will include a further assessment of the detailed application of the Armed Forces pensions and compensation schemes.

Lord Drayson: There are no plans to review the new Armed Forces Pension Scheme or Reserve Forces Pension Scheme, which were introduced for new entrants to the Armed Forces from 6 April 2005 and which other regulars will have the option of joining from 6 April 2006. The schemes were developed in close discussion with other interested government departments and take account of factors such as the Government's policy on longer working lifetimes and changes in the tax arrangements for pensions. They provide a valuable package of benefits to meet our needs to recruit, retain and motivate members of the Armed Forces.

Wales: Boundary Commission Review of Parliamentary Constituencies

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the boundary review for revised parliamentary constituencies in Wales has been completed.

Baroness Ashton of Upholland: Yes. The Boundary Commission for Wales submitted its final report, recommending changes to parliamentary constituencies and Welsh Assembly electoral regions, to the Deputy Prime Minister on 31 January 2005.

Wales: Boundary Commission Review of Parliamentary Constituencies

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the revised Welsh parliamentary constituencies will come into effect in time for the elections to the National Assembly for Wales in May 2007.

Baroness Ashton of Upholland: The intention is for the necessary legislation concerning the National Assembly for Wales constituencies and electoral regions to be in place in time for the Assembly elections in 2007.

Stalybridge and Hyde: UKIP Candidate

Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the official number of votes cast for the UKIP candidate in the general election at Stalybridge and Hyde.

Baroness Ashton of Upholland: The UKIP candidate received 573 votes, as set out in the public notice of the result published by the returning officer.

Voting: Local Authority Registrations

Lord Harrison: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What steps they are taking to communicate to electoral returning officers their policy as outlined in Lord Rooker's letter to Lord Harrison of 6 April that an individual registered in more than one local authority is able to vote in each of the local authority areas on the same day, irrespective of whether such elections are "ordinary day elections or by-elections to fill a casual vacancy"; and whether they will ensure that electoral returning officers are complying with this policy.

Baroness Ashton of Upholland: Electoral administrators are already familiar with the provisions of the Representation of the People Act 1983 as it affects their duties, and the law on this issue has not changed. Nevertheless, the Government will ensure that they are informed of the position as set out in Lord Rooker's letter in one of our regular communications.

General Election: Vote Counting Arrangements

Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Why there was a significant difference in time taken to count the votes and declare the results in constituencies of similar electoral sizes during the general election.

Baroness Ashton of Upholland: It is the responsibility of the acting returning officer to make the necessary arrangements to ensure that votes are properly verified and counted, and that the result is correctly declared. There are a number of factors that might affect how long it takes for votes to be counted and the result declared, which will vary between individual constituencies. The main ones are: the time taken to transport ballot boxes from polling places to the count, voter turnout, the number of rejected ballot papers, the number of postal votes to be opened at the count, the staffing arrangements at the count, and the closeness of the result.

Coroners' Inquests

Lord Monson: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many times the verdict of a coroner's inquest jury has been overturned by the High Court in each of the past 20 years.

Baroness Ashton of Upholland: Records were not kept before 1996 and the Administrative Court's records do not distinguish between jury and non-jury inquests, but since 1996 there have been 12 statutory appeals where the coroner's decision was quashed. Coroners' inquests may have also been quashed by way of judicial review but the Administrative Court records do not distinguish between judicial reviews against inquest verdicts and other decisions taken by coroners.

Electoral Reform

Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will establish a special committee of inquiry to look afresh at the arguments involved in electoral reform for national parliamentary elections.

Baroness Ashton of Upholland: The Government have no plans to establish a special committee of inquiry to look at electoral reform for national parliamentary elections.

General Election: Postal Votes

Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether returning officers in each constituency are being asked to report the number of postal votes that arrived too late to be counted in the general election on 5 May.

Baroness Ashton of Upholland: Returning officers have a duty to complete a "statement as to postal ballot papers" for each election (Form K, Schedule 3 to the Representation of the People (England and Wales) Regulations 2001). This includes the total of postal ballot papers that arrived too late to be included in the count.
	The Electoral Commission will collate and publish this information later this summer, as part of its general duty to report on UK parliamentary elections.

Waterways Ireland

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether, in view of the findings of a recent investigation concerning the appointment of the Director of Marketing and Communication for Waterways Ireland, they will ensure that an open and fair competition is now held for the post.

Lord Rooker: I refer the noble Lord to the joint statement of 4 April 2005 from the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL) and the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (DCRGA). The statement is available in the Library and at Appendix 1.4 it deals with, inter alia, the appointment of the Director of Marketing and Communications and the Head of Marketing Administration.
	The statement concludes that, "The investigators raised no issues in relation to the validity of the appointments and the departments have accepted that there are no such issues to be addressed."

Waterways Ireland

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When the investigation into allegations by 20 complainants into staff bullying, harassment and management at Waterways Ireland will be completed and the results published.

Lord Rooker: The complaint made by 20 staff at Waterways Ireland is being dealt with by the body under internal procedures and I will ensure the noble Lord is advised of the outcome.

Shareholder Executive

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	In respect of the Shareholder Executive:
	(a) what was its cost in 2004–05;
	(b) what is its budgeted cost in 2005–06;
	(c) how much its highest paid executive received in 2004–05;
	(d) what his budgeted pay and allowances are in 2005-06;
	(e) what are the interests for which it is responsible; and
	(f) whether it has published a business plan.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: In respect of the Shareholder Executive:
	a) the running costs for 2004–05 were £3.025 million. Since then its role has expanded to include the industrial development unit so that;
	b) the budgeted running costs for 2005–06 are £5.072 million.
	c) and d) The chief executive of the Shareholder Executive, as a senior civil servant, is paid in line with the terms of remuneration, including bonus arrangements, for senior civil servants laid down by the Civil Service Commissioners. It is not departmental policy to publish salary levels of individual members of staff.
	e) The chief executive has overall responsibility for the running of the Shareholder Executive. The Shareholder Executive advises officials in government departments on the management of certain departmental shareholdings, ownership or other finance interests. These entities, and their responsible departments, are set out in the table below.
	
		
			 Entity Responsibledepartment Legal status 
			 ABRO Ministry of Defence Trading fund 
			 BBC (certain aspects of the Charter Review) Department for Culture, Media and Sport Public corporation 
			 British Waterways Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Statutory corporation 
			 CDC Group plc Department for International Development Companies Act company (100 per cent of shares government owned, shares not publicly traded) 
			 Channel 4 Department for Culture, Media and Sport Statutory corporation 
			 Defence Aviation Repair Agency (DARA) Ministry of Defence Trading fund 
			 Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) Ministry of Defence Trading fund 
			 Forensic Science Service Home Office Trading fund 
			 Met Office Ministry of Defence Trading fund 
			 Northern Ireland Water Service Department for Regional Development, Northern Ireland Agency 
			 QinetiQ plc Ministry of Defence Companies Act company (58.1 per cent of shares government owned, shares not publicly traded) 
			 Tote Department for Culture, Media and Sport Statutory corporation 
			 United Kingdom Hydrographic Office Ministry of Defence Trading fund 
			 Working Links Department of Work and Pensions Companies Act company (33.3 per cent of shares owned by government, shares not publicly traded) 
		
	
	The Shareholder Executive directly advises departmental ministers (or in some cases senior departmental officials) on certain shareholding, ownership or other finance interests. It also directly manages the day-to-day relationship with that entity. These entities and their responsible departments are set out in the table below.
	
		
			 Entity Responsibledepartment Legal status 
			 Actis Capital LLP Department for International Development Limited liability partnership (40 per cent government ownership interest, 80 per cent government economic interest for 10 years) 
			 British Energy plc Department of Trade and Industry Companies Act company (the Government do not own any share capital but would acquire certain economic rights and obligations under the proposed company restructuring) 
			 British Nuclear Fuels plc (BNFL) Department of Trade and Industry Companies Act company (100 per cent of shares owned by government, shares not publicly traded) 
			 Export Credit Guarantee Department (ECGD) Department of Trade and Industry Government department and expected to be a trading fund by 2007 
			 National Air Traffic Services Department for Transport Companies Act company (48.87 per cent of shares government owned, shares not publicly traded) 
			 Partnerships UK HM Treasury Companies Act company (49 per cent of shares owned by government including 4.44 per cent owned by the Scottish Ministers) 
			 Royal Mail Holdings plc Department of Trade and Industry Companies Act company (100 per cent of shares owned by government, shares not publicly traded) 
			 Royal Mint HM Treasury Trading fund 
			 United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) Department of Trade and Industry Statutory corporation 
		
	
	The chief executive is also responsible for the work of the industrial development unit, which is a source of corporate finance expertise in the DTI and the rest of government, and advises Ministers on the large scale grant applications; and
	f) the Shareholder Executive has not published a business plan. It will publish an annual report this autumn that will detail its performance and progress over the year 2004–05.

McKinsey and Co.

Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether McKinsey and Company is currently carrying out any work for the Department of Trade and Industry; how many projects the firm has carried out for the department during each of the past five years; for each project, how long it lasted and how many McKinsey employees were involved; and what was the total value of payments made by the department to McKinsey and Company in each of the past five years.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: McKinsey and Company is currently engaged on one project for the Department of Trade and Industry. McKinsey and Company commenced two projects in 2003, one in 2004 and two in 2005.
	The first 2003 project lasted for 10 months and fewer than five McKinsey and Company employees were involved. The second 2003 project lasted for a maximum of three months. The number of McKinsey and Company employees is unknown. The 2004 project lasted for five months and a core team of six McKinsey and Company employees were involved. The first 2005 project lasted for four months with four McKinsey and Company employees proposed in the tender. The second 2005 project is ongoing.
	Total value of payments (excluding VAT) made to McKinsey and Company is:
	2003—£153,000
	2004—£95,000
	2005—£35,000
	Data for the two previous years are not readily available and can only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Vixen Tor, Dartmoor

Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What impact the result of the appeal inquiry relating to the cultivation of land in Vixen Tor, Dartmoor, will have on the effectiveness of the access provisions in Part I of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.

Lord Bach: The owners of Vixen Tor exercised their statutory right of appeal against the Countryside Agency's decision to map their land as open country. The appeal was partially successful in that following a public inquiry some of their land, including the field in which Vixen Tor is situated, was found not to qualify as open country. The appeal process is essential in helping to ensure the agency's conclusive maps of open country are as accurate as possible when the new right comes into force. Now that the mapping of open country and registered common land is nearing completion, the agency is beginning a review to identify the lessons to be learned from all aspects of the mapping and appeal processes.

Coastal Areas: Access

Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they intend to bring into force those provisions of Part I of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 that relate to coastal access; and, if so, when.

Lord Bach: Improving access to coastal areas will be an early priority for this Government. We are looking at a full range of options for improving access to coastal areas including using Section 3 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. Any decision will be preceded by full public consultation which will set out the facts, a range of options, and the costs and benefits associated with each option.
	As a first step we have asked the Countryside Agency to undertake fact-finding work to build up a detailed picture of current access provision. This will draw on existing datasets, any relevant published research and existing expertise and experience internally and within partner and stakeholder organisations. The agency has already circulated a questionnaire to all coastal local authorities to gather information on current access, perceptions of problems and opportunities. It has also undertaken a number of case studies focusing on a number of different coastal situations. We have asked the agency to complete this work by the early summer.

Waste: Definition

Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether their definition of waste matter is the same as the definition used within other European Union countries.

Lord Bach: Yes. The definition of waste in force in the UK is that in Article 1(a) of the Waste Framework Directive (75/442/EEC as amended by 91/156/EEC) which provides that "waste" is "any substance or object . . . which the holder discards or intends or is required to discard."
	All member states are required to transpose and implement this definition and it is not within the power of national governments to exclude any particular substance or object from it. Whether or not a substance or object is discarded as waste; and when waste ceases to be waste, are matters which must be determined on the facts of the case and the interpretation of the law is a matter for the courts. It rests, in the first place, with the producer or holder of a substance to decide whether it is being discarded as waste and the "competent authorities" designated under Article 6 of the directive are responsible for its implementation (e.g. the Environment Agency in England and Wales).
	The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has issued a number of judgments on the definition's interpretation and the meaning of "discard". ECJ judgments are binding on all member states and their competent authorities.

Public Sector Food Procurement Initiative

Lord Beaumont of Whitley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When and by what means they intend to introduce an explicit policy for schools, hospitals and government offices to consider local sourcing of fresh food produce, outlined in the Labour Party's election manifesto.

Lord Bach: The manifesto commitment to consider local sourcing of fresh produce reinforces the Public Sector Food Procurement Initiative (PSFPI), which has been under-way for nearly two years. Two key objectives of the PSFI are (i) to increase the opportunities for small local producers and suppliers to tender for contracts for the supply of food and (ii) to increase the capacity of local suppliers to meet demand.
	Public sector contracting authorities are encouraged to specify more fresh food as a way of increasing opportunities for local producers and promoting the consumption of more nutritious food. Advice is given on the PSFPI website at www.defra.gov.uk/farm/sustain/procurement/regions.htm.
	Defra is working with other public sector organisations, including the Department for Health and Department for Education and Skills, to implement and monitor the PSFPI. An updated communications strategy, planned for June 2005, will help to convey the key messages to those who influence the food procurement activities in schools, hospitals, government offices and other public bodies.

World Climate: Impact of Destruction of Rainforests

Lord Eden of Winton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What assessment they have made of the long-term consequences for world climatic conditions from the progressive destruction of rainforests.

Lord Bach: The probable long-term consequences for world climatic conditions of progressive destruction of rainforests include (i) greater rate of increase of global mean temperature due to increased emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, (ii) lower rate of removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by the terrestrial biosphere, (iii) reduced local evaporation rates leading to local changes in temperature and rainfall, (iv) changes in patterns of wind and ocean circulation from the local to the global scale, (v) greater surface run-off of rainwater leading to increased local flooding risk, (vi) possible regional increases in concentrations of low-level ozone pollution, and (viii) increased production of dust which also affects climate through both absorption and reflection of light.

Gangmasters Licensing Authority

Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Gangmasters (Licensing Authority) Regulations 2005 whether the change of quorum allowed in Section 8(3)
	(a) is intended to be permanent;
	(b) could be for a single meeting; and
	(c) should be done in advance or could be decided on the day of the meeting.

Lord Bach: The Gangmasters (Licensing Authority) Regulations 2005 give the board of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority the power to regulate its own procedures in most respects. Regulation 8(3) allows for a change in quorum of the board. A motion to change the quorum must be supported by at least five board members. Should five members support the proposed motion, those present would proceed to vote on the proposed motion according to the voting method in Regulation 8(4) and (5) (i.e. a simple majority of voting members present, including the chair or deputy chair, with the chair or deputy chair having the casting vote if votes are equally divided). Any new quorum must include the chairman or, in his absence, the deputy chairman. If a motion to change the quorum is approved by the board, this provision would remain in place until a further motion is tabled, supported by five board members and then voted upon and approved by the board. The regulations place no limit on the frequency or timing of such motions. However, the board may regulate its own procedure pursuant to Regulation 8(1)(a) and could decide administratively to require a minimum period of notice before any motion is considered or regulate the frequency of changes to the quorum.

Environmental Stewardship Scheme

Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Environmental Stewardship (England) Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2005/621), which of the regulations "could not have been made under the powers hereinafter mentioned"; namely, the Environment Act 1995.

Lord Bach: The Environment Act 1995 does not provide powers for the Secretary of State to make grants for the upkeep of the landscape and historical features on agricultural land. This power is contained in Article 22(d) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999, which is implemented using Section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972.

Dermatological Services: National Guidance

Lord McColl of Dulwich: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they intend to take action to transfer skin disease management, such as the treatment of actinic keratosis, into primary care; and, if so, what is that action.

Lord Warner: The Department of Health has developed national guidance for general practitioners with a special interest in dermatology. However, it is for the National Health Service locally to determine how best to deliver their services to meet the needs of their local populations.

Football Clubs: Ownership

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether there is any government interest in the ownership of football clubs; and whether they propose to take any action in light of recent developments affecting the ownership of Manchester United; and
	Whether, given their policy to protect and promote the interests of stakeholders, they are inquiring into the extent to which the interest of stakeholders in Manchester United football club are being protected in view of current developments affecting the future of the club.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The Government are committed to ensuring that all football clubs are run in the best possible way and that they remain a focal point of their local community, including for the clubs' supporters. However, ownership is a matter for the football authorities and clubs.
	In the case of Manchester United, it was for shareholders to decide on the merits of takeover proposals and independent competition authorities will look at the effects of any deal on competition.
	The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) will wish to consider whether the proposed takeover raises any competition concerns. Such consideration is a matter for the independent competition authorities. Ministers may only intervene in cases that raise specific "public interest considerations" as defined in the Enterprise Act 2002—presently relating to mergers in the defence sector and the media. While the Government have looked at football clubs, there are no plans to introduce an additional public interest consideration concerning football.

Museums and Galleries: Income Generation

Lord Harrison: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What progress they have made in implementing the recommendations of the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee report Income Generated by the Museums and Galleries, published on 14 June 2004.

Lord Davies of Oldham: On 16 November 2004, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the National Audit Office held a joint seminar on income generation for representatives of government-sponsored museums and galleries.
	The seminar confirmed the wish for collaboration between sponsored museums and galleries and pointed to the value of them forming groups of larger and smaller institutions to pursue their different needs. Particular stress was placed on training and on the value of working with industry bodies, such as the Association for Cultural Enterprises (ACE). The seminar also noted the value of Partnerships UK, which can assist the path to joint ventures.
	As a follow-up to the seminar, DCMS has provided funding to enable the chair of ACE to undertake a programme of work in 2005–06 which will help to deliver improvements in trading income through benchmarking standards, and will include a comprehensive training package, a conference programme and improved advice and information.
	DCMS is planning a further seminar on income generation for all its sponsored bodies, including museums and galleries, and will ensure that appropriate targets are included in the new funding agreements for its sponsored museums and galleries.

Sports Facilities: Availability

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the target in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport's five-year plan that "by 2008 almost no one, whether in rural or urban areas, will live more than 20 minutes travel time away from a good multi-sports environment" refers to travel by foot (as in Scotland) or by car or public transport.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The Government take the view that those in urban areas should be within 20 minutes walking distance of a multi-sport environment, while those in rural areas should be within 20 minutes driving distance by car.
	Urban and rural areas are defined using the Rural and Urban Area Classification 2004: Introductory Guide, jointly published by the Countryside Agency, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, the Office for National Statistics, and the Welsh Assembly Government.

Sports Facilities: Availability

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How they define the phrase "almost no one" as used in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport five-year plan which stated that "by 2008 almost no one, whether in rural or urban areas, will live more than 20 minutes travel time away from a good multi-sports environment."

Lord Davies of Oldham: The Government's aim is to ensure that as many people as possible can benefit from good quality sports facilities that are available locally. The phrase used in the five-year plan is therefore an aspiration rather than a target and no specific figure has been set.

Sport Funding

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many men and women currently receive world class performance funding; and what is the total amount of funding broken down by gender.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The total number of athletes currently in direct receipt of an athlete personal award (APA) through the world class performance programme administered by UK Sport is 393, of which 234 are men and 159 are women. The total amount of APA paid out for the financial year 2004–05 was £6,066,201, of which, £3,749,131 was provided to men and £2,317,070 to women.

House of Lords: Ministerial Salaries

Lord Trefgarne: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the difference in salary between that of a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the House of Lords and of a Lord or Baroness in Waiting; and
	What additional duties are required of a Lord or Baroness in Waiting in order to justify being paid as a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The difference in salary between a Parliamentary Secretary and a Lord or Baroness in Waiting is £5,205.
	Where a noble Lord or Baroness is appointed as a Parliamentary Secretary solely to do the duties of a Lord or Baroness in Waiting, he or she signs a waiver to disclaim the difference in salary.

National Assembly for Wales: Electoral Regulations

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether any revision of electoral regulations for elections to the National Assembly for Wales will include the prohibition of candidates being nominated for one member constituencies as well as the regional list.

Lord Evans of Temple Guiting: The Government's proposals will be set out in a White Paper which is expected to be published in June.

Equality Bill

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the Equality Bill is intended to require schools to increase their support and funding for girls' sport in order to achieve equality of opportunity.

Baroness Crawley: Provisions are included in Part 3 of the Equality Bill which will require public authorities, including schools, to comply with the gender duty of which a fundamental element will be the promotion of equality of opportunity for women, men, girls and boys to ensure that their needs are met.
	As should become clear when that part of the Bill is debated, it will be up to public authorities to set goals and actions in deciding how to promote equality of opportunity.

Euro Area: GDP Growth

Baroness Noakes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What estimates they made of growth in the European Union for each of the years 2005 to 2008 for the purposes of their United Kingdom gross domestic product growth forecasts in the 2005 Budget Statement.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: The Government do not forecast growth in the European Union. However, forecasts of GDP growth in the euro area were published in Table B1 of the 2005 Budget report.

Private Finance Initiative Schemes

Baroness Noakes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they plan to make any changes to the way that private finance initiative projects are accounted for in the national accounts.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: The compilation of the national accounts is a matter for the independent Office for National Statistics based on internationally agreed standards. The ONS stated in a press release on 20 May 2005 that it has taken no decision to change the treatment of PFI schemes in the public finances, and that currently the public finances include information on expenditure under PFI deals.

Network Rail

Baroness Noakes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the indebtedness of Network Rail currently counts as public sector borrowing; and whether any changes are anticipated in the future.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: The independent Office for National Statistics classifies Network Rail to the private sector using internationally recognised standards. This means that the transactions and liabilities of Network Rail are private sector transactions and liabilities. The national accounts and any changes to the national accounts are a matter for the independent ONS.

Inheritance Tax

Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many estates in the United Kingdom paid inheritance tax in (a) 2003–04, and (b) 2004–05; and what number they estimate will pay inheritance tax during 2005–06; and
	How many estates in the United Kingdom would have paid inheritance tax in (a) 2003–04, and (b) 2004–05 if the threshold for those years had been (i) £300,000; (ii) £350,000; (iii) £400,000; and (iv) £450,000 respectively.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: Some 30,000 estates paid inheritance tax in 2003–04, 34,000 in 2004–05 and 37,000 are forecast to pay in 2005–06.
	If the IHT thresholds detailed above had applied instead of (a) £255,000 in 2003–04 and (b) £263,000 in 2004–05, then the estimated numbers of estates liable to IHT in each year would have been:
	
		Estates liable to IHT (thousands)
		
			 IHT threshold £300 £350 £400 £450 
			 (a) 2003–04 21 16 12 9 
			 (b) 2004–05 28 19 15 12 
		
	
	The estimated numbers of estates liable to IHT shown in the table above are not directly comparable to the numbers paying IHT given in the first part of the Answer: because of time lags between date of death and payment of tax, about half the estates paying IHT in a given year relate to deaths in earlier years. However, they give a better indication of the likely impact of the proposed threshold changes as they strip out the short-term transitional effect of the higher thresholds.

Office for National Statistics: Estimates of Public Service Output

Baroness Noakes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they are satisfied with the latest revisions to public service output measures released by the Office for National Statistics.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: The Government fully support these independent efforts to improve our understanding of government output and welcome the latest ONS estimates of public service output that show people are continuing to benefit from more and better quality public services.
	These figures complement more wide-ranging measures such as PSA targets in demonstrating improvements in public service performance, including:
	the proportion of 16 year-olds gaining five or more A* to C at GCSE, rising from 46.3 per cent in 1997–98 to 53.7 per cent in 2003–04;
	450,000 more operations in 2002–03 compared to 1997–98 and significantly shorter waiting lists. Chronic heart disease and cancer mortality rates have fallen over 27 per cent and 12 per cent respectively; and
	90 per cent of customers are now being paid their benefits quickly and efficiently directly into a bank account, compared to 43 per cent in 2002.
	The Government are committed to driving continual public service improvement through our programme of public service reform, including maximising efficiency through:
	releasing extra resources for frontline public services, to deliver high and continuously improving standards within the public sector;
	making better use of existing frontline resources, allowing public service professionals to provide more personalised services; and ensuring taxpayers receive value for money from public spending.